HASTINGS, N.Y. – Small Business Saturday definitely got a few customers into Charmed Gifts and Sweets in Hastings, employee Georgeann Puterio said.

“Business has been very good,” she said. “It's been very steady; people are coming in and out, and we're starting to do a lot of gift wrapping and selling Christmas products.”

Residents and businesses in the Rivertowns celebrated the third annual Small Business Saturday on Saturday. The day is preceded by Black Friday and followed by Cyber Monday. The idea, first used as a promotion by American Express, is to support small businesses during one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.

Amada Abad, the manager and general partner at Galapagos Books in Hastings, said she didn't know about Small Business Saturday, but encouraged people to shop locally because it keeps shops in business and helps the economy.

Galapagos Books will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Dec. 15, and Abad said people come to the bookstore because they can find unique books and a lot of children's books. Business on Saturday, she said, had been “very good.”

“I think people have started shopping for Christmas,” she said. “It's one good sign.”

Puterio said several people had come inside the store talking about the shopping holiday. Puterio herself is a big fan of the day.

“People should shop at small businesses,” she said. “Especially a business like this — we have a lot of unique gifts that you might not necessarily find in the bigger stores, we give more personalized service, and I think it's a great thing to publicize small business.”